Q-tuner pickups, 6 month review

[damigu]

Q-tuners: World's first neodymium guitar and bass pickups.

so i've had these pickups in my RG7420 for roughly 6 months now and i've formed some definitive opinions to share.


neck position - i have a hi-z in the neck position.
it's an absolute dream. i can get every tone i want out of it and very easily. it sounds great no matter what i do on the amp/EQ settings.
these are the only pickups i've tried where messing with the tone knob doesn't add any mud at all--the tone control does nothing more than act as a variable low pass filter (which is what it's supposed to do). the clarity of the pickup extends across the full frequency range, so there's never any mud.
with the tone knob wide open, it gets a beautiful clean sound. articulate and full bodied.
with the tone knob all the way down, the cleans are very lush and warm and jazzy.
with distortion on, it's easy to go anywhere from high speed shredding tones to blues jam tones.
chording or single notes, distortion or clean, it always remains rich *AND* articulate (two words that usually don't go together when reviewing neck pickups).


bridge position - i have a super-z in the bridge position.
once again, the cleans are phenomenal. i rarely like the sound of cleans in the bridge position. usually they're too twangy and shrill for my tastes, but these are rich and clear and have more body than most bridge cleans. the bridge position clean sound from these is actually comparable to what a middle pickup on 3 pickup guitar sounds like.
distorted, i can't say i'm 100% pleased with them. to put that into context, most of my distorted playing is metal (and a little bit of rock).
i think the failure is in all the other equipment instead of the pickups. distortions have been made with the behavior of typical pickups in mind. typical pickups have all kinds of peaks and valleys in the frequency response. these q-tuners, however, are very high fidelity and give a pretty even response across the full spectrum. and that's more of an issue for bridge pickups than neck pickups. so it's very hard to dial in a good distortion sound without having to do all kinds of EQing in order to compensate for what the distortions are "expecting" out of the pickup.
also, the pickup is lower in volume than i was expecting. it isn't as hot of a pickup as the "super-z" name leads one to think (i know impedance isn't a direct indicator of output, but the name "super" still makes it sound like it'll be really hot). i've tried it out at various heights and i always have to use an external booster before running it into my POD or amp in order to bring it up to the level of a typical guitar.
after months of fiddling with it, i've only been able to get tones that are usable but nothing i'm willing to actually record with. i get a lot of high end hiss that's difficult to EQ out, and the mids and lows are too even so palm mutes seem to be missing certain aspects that give that wonderful crunch and chug that's so essential to metal.
the only way i've gotten genuinely good metal tones from the bridge pickup is to record the clean signal fed straight in (no DI box, no POD, just instrument straight into the interface), then boost the level, then re-amp it. not very convenient at all and useless for live playing (using an external booster before feeding into the amp/POD is functional, but doesn't yield a genuinely good sound as what i just described).


in summary:
i can't say enough good things about using one in the neck position. whether you want clean tones or distorted, this will do it all, and with such clarity that you hear everything that there is to hear in your tone.
however, i don't think they're ideally suited for the bridge position if you like to play with higher gain. the nature of amps and effects is such that they are ill suited to a bridge pickup with such even output.


that said, i don't feel the super-z was a waste of money. i'm going to put it in the neck position of my project guitar where i know it will give me some amazing neck tones, both clean and distorted.
...now i need to find a new bridge pickup!

[daemon barbeque]

Very well written alltough I don't agree with the Bridge Super high Z review.

I have no problem with the output level ,I never ad to boost anything. I don't use a tonepot tho ,and that might be the reason.

Q-tuner in bridge is not a good option for Basswood Ibanez guitars. I filled the body of my 1527 with eboxy-resin and that changed alot ,but still ,it's not enough to make me ultra happy.
The Q-tuner needs a more "punchy" and strong sounding wood to get the best sound.
It actually produces nothing itself ,and only transfers what you put in. Basswood is not the right thing for Q-tuner ,that's why I don't recommend it for the Bridge position for typical 7 string basswood guitars.

[Thrashmanzac]

very helpful and informative

[Apophis]

thanks, really usefull, but comments like Timur's are really welcome there also I think, different users and different feelings

[hufschmid]

Thanks for the info man

[damigu]

i'm actually glad to hear that you had a similarly bad experience in your basswood guitar because it validates my own problems with it.
i don't use a tone pot on the bridge pickup either (i wire my guitars so the tone pot only affects the neck pickup), but the wood issue matters a lot more with a pickup as transparent as these (sonically transparent, i meant--no pun intended!).

what you said is absolutely right--the q-tuners don't impart any character of their own but instead put all of the burden on the guitar wood(s), strings, bridge, and amp/effects to put flavor/color into the sound.
i think that's why they sound phenomenal in the neck position--there's more string vibration there and the neck/body interface is right there so the wood vibrations have a more complex character.
i also think that's why the bridge position is lacking. a more lively wood might go a long way, but i still think it would fall short. at least where metal is concerned.

as for my boosting it, you're also right that it's not really necessary to make the guitar audible, but doing that was primarily an attempt to bring the output up to the level of a really hot pickup in order to try and get some of that crunch/chug i mentioned.

but i am looking forward to hearing the super-Z in the neck position of my project guitar.

[daemon barbeque]

Hahah ,man the super high Z will be really loud in the neck ,but not as sweet as your High Z IMHO .
What kind of Bridge PU do you thik to install to your RG and new project guitar?

[damigu]

i'm not sure what the new bridge pickup will be. i'd like something that's pretty hot but whose tone still employs complexity and subtlety.
the BKP painkiller is on my list.
i was also considering the lundgren M7 until i saw its pricetag.
got any suggestions along those lines?


the project guitar is meant to be loud and distorted, so the super-Z in the neck should work great. i've emailed with erno (maker of q-tuners) and he says dropping the center poles around 8 turns should warm up the sound a lot.
i'll be pairing the super-Z neck with a dimarzio X2N-7.

[hufschmid]

Originally Posted by damigu

the pickup is lower in volume than i was expecting. it isn't as hot of a pickup as the "super-z" name leads one to think (i know impedance isn't a direct indicator of output, but the name "super" still makes it sound like it'll be really hot).

I have a question:

But....

Do they actually build pickups specifically designed for real heavy output gain applications?

Or are those q-tuners designed mostly for clear sounding and non high gain applications?

I will have to try one because I like the design actually....

[ShadyDavey]

Cool post, I did wonder what they were like - is there any hope at all for a SuperZ in the bridge?

[daemon barbeque]

Originally Posted by damigu

i
i'll be pairing the super-Z neck with a dimarzio X2N-7.

That was my suggestion along Painkiller. We are somehow similar in stuff LOL

Originally Posted by .........

I have a question:

But....

Do they actually build pickups specifically designed for real heavy output gain applications?

Or are those q-tuners designed mostly for clear sounding and non high gain applications?

I will have to try one because I like the design actually....

Well ,you can order one or wait till I come along.

Originally Posted by ShadyDavey

Cool post, I did wonder what they were like - is there any hope at all for a SuperZ in the bridge?

Ofcourse ,but not Basswood Ibanez guitars. Don't get me wrong ,I like mine as it is. But my guitar is modified!

[jymellis]

it does make sense. in the radio control vehicle world we have been using neodium rotors in the electric motors for a few years now. they have a better magnetic field than a regular splintered rotor= faster rpm at lower temps with less amp draw from batteries. it could only mean good things in a pup as far as i can see.

[Dr. Von Goosewing]

I'm in the same boat as a few others here, ie a basswood bodied guitar (RG7321) with a super hi-z in the bridge. I really like it, but it is an extremely flat response, it would need a lot of tweaking to get a 'normal' pickup sound. Lucky for me I didn't want a typical pickup sound. When I first plugged them in, the tone reminded me of latter-day Gorguts, kinda clangy/percussive, very bright, not masses of gain but insanely clear. I wouldn't describe them as high output, high output to me is BK Warpig, Lundgren M7, etc. those are two I've tried & the Q-Tuner is certainly lower. However they are so clear & noiseless I can just add more amp gain if I need it, so I don't find it a disadvantage.

I haven't tried tweaking the polepieces, I think that's the key with these pickups. I like them as they are, but if I only had the one guitar I'd be wanting something more versatile... All I can say is try 'em, but you will either love or hate these things, they're so unlike any other pickup.

One thing I will say, having tried the guitar pickups I will try their bass pickups for sure, because the cleans are so clear I imagine they'll be perfect.

[daemon barbeque]

Originally Posted by Dr. Von Goosewing

I'm in the same boat as a few others here, ie a basswood bodied guitar (RG7321) with a super hi-z in the bridge. I really like it, but it is an extremely flat response, it would need a lot of tweaking to get a 'normal' pickup sound. Lucky for me I didn't want a typical pickup sound. When I first plugged them in, the tone reminded me of latter-day Gorguts, kinda clangy/percussive, very bright, not masses of gain but insanely clear. I wouldn't describe them as high output, high output to me is BK Warpig, Lundgren M7, etc. those are two I've tried & the Q-Tuner is certainly lower. However they are so clear & noiseless I can just add more amp gain if I need it, so I don't find it a disadvantage.

I haven't tried tweaking the polepieces, I think that's the key with these pickups. I like them as they are, but if I only had the one guitar I'd be wanting something more versatile... All I can say is try 'em, but you will either love or hate these things, they're so unlike any other pickup.

One thing I will say, having tried the guitar pickups I will try their bass pickups for sure, because the cleans are so clear I imagine they'll be perfect.

Yess on all points!
The sound is so clear ,it really carries all effects well. I can playt tight rythm even reverb and chorus on my tone. Q-tuner is the only PU which can handles this!

[damigu]

Originally Posted by .........

Do they actually build pickups specifically designed for real heavy output gain applications?

Or are those q-tuners designed mostly for clear sounding and non high gain applications?

the super-Z is the highest output pickup they make. they're not really in the business of making ultra hot pickups like BKP/lundren/swineshead/manilus/etc.
i think the company's focus is mainly on trying to push the guitar industry in a direction that will use the new tone options available by modern technology.

the fact is that amplification and effects have changed very little in 40 years, despite the fact that technology has changed a *LOT*.
modern technology applied to guitar tone shaping could yield a lot of new and great results. but the guitar community in general seems reticent to embrace it.
many guitarists seem to think that the guitar sound has already been perfected, but i think that idea is ludicrous--music/musicians should *ALWAYS* be open to try out new tones and textures. and modern hi-fi technology opens up worlds that simply weren't available when amp/head/cab sounds became somewhat standardized.
i like that some speaker makers (like eminence) are beginning to make hi-fi speakers specifically for use with the newer digital FX/modeling devices.

when the amplification/FX manufacturers catch up to where q-tuners already are, i'll give it another shot in the bridge position.

Originally Posted by ShadyDavey

Cool post, I did wonder what they were like - is there any hope at all for a SuperZ in the bridge?

probably they would sound better in some woods other than basswood.
but it also depends on what you want. if you're after a sound in line with your favorite bands, then the q-tuner will never get you 100% there.

Originally Posted by Dr. Von Goosewing

I'm in the same boat as a few others here, ie a basswood bodied guitar (RG7321) with a super hi-z in the bridge. I really like it, but it is an extremely flat response, it would need a lot of tweaking to get a 'normal' pickup sound. Lucky for me I didn't want a typical pickup sound. When I first plugged them in, the tone reminded me of latter-day Gorguts, kinda clangy/percussive, very bright, not masses of gain but insanely clear. I wouldn't describe them as high output, high output to me is BK Warpig, Lundgren M7, etc. those are two I've tried & the Q-Tuner is certainly lower. However they are so clear & noiseless I can just add more amp gain if I need it, so I don't find it a disadvantage.

absolutely right.

what i learned from having it in the bridge is that i *AM* after fairly normal pickup tones from the bridge position.
i really like the hi-fi sound from the neck position, but it turns out that i'm after more typical tones from the bridge position.


again, i *VERY* highly recommend a q-tuner in the neck position regardless of what style you play. it sounds great even in my basswood RG.

for the bridge position, it's not ideally suited for metal. with a lot of work/tweaking, you can get it there (not 100% there in basswood, though), but at this point i find that i'm asking myself if it's worth the effort.

[eegor]

Great review, very helpful. As for the bridge position, what kind of wood would a Q-Tuner work well in? Would something like alder or ash be better?

[daemon barbeque]

Originally Posted by eegor

Great review, very helpful. As for the bridge position, what kind of wood would a Q-Tuner work well in? Would something like alder or ash be better?

I get a Roter custom 8 made out of onepiece wenge and it has a q-tuner in it

And I am shure it will crush in Mahogany ,Swamp Ah and Maple neck-thru guitars.

The tone is just huge ,if you check my clips for q-tuner ,you will see how huge it sounds ,than think about it being in mahogany instead Basswood

[eegor]

Ok, good. My Septor is a maple neck-thru. Looks like I'm getting some Q-Tuners.

[JELIFISH19]

Hey, I'm thinking about getting some Q-Tuners for my basswood RGs. I am looking for something different and unique in my tone. I'm considering the solid-state ISP Theta amp. My playing style is similar to 80s hair metal and thrash. The description of the Q-Tuners sounds like it has everything I'm looking for in a pickup. Do you think the pickups can shine with that amp (I read a review that said they were great with SS amps) for the type of music I play?

[sevenstringj]

Can you make some clips of the neck position? The only clips I've heard sounded weird--heavily processed and/or just twangy.

Can these things get a convincing strat/single coil sound? Or are they kinda like a HiFi Duncan Jazz?

[silentrage]

These sound very intriguing!
Maybe a preamp can be added on the guitar to boost the bridge pup to amplify its output? Something like the EMG Afterburner maybe, just not... shitty.

[Cheesebuiscut]

I gotta agree with a lot of the stuff said in this thread. I never liked a single neck pup I ever used no matter what guitar I was playing until I got these Q-tuners. The neck pup should be the freaking standard neck pup in all guitars its just that good.

The bridge pup I find myself constantly tweaking my amp to be happy with the sound. After a while I found an acceptable sound that on some days I would hate and other days I thought was the most amazing sound coming out of my crappy line 6 amp.

What I figured out from the love / hate on the exact same EQ was that if I was playing a little crappy one day the tone coming out of the amp would suck and if I was tight another day I would love the sound.

The pups changed my technique in order to get a sound I like for heavy palm mutes and just about everything. I can be very heavy handed etc with regular pups in my other guitars and get chuggy palm mutes but with the Q-tuner I have to have my palm just barely pressed near the end of the strings and pick just right in order to get a nice thump. I used to play with a ton more gain too and when I first got these since the they're not very hot I would turn the gain knob all the way up but I find myself pulling the gain back farther on these than I did with standard pups and still getting some nice metal sounds.

It took a lot of amp tweaking but I do think I could live with the bridge pup though I would enjoy a lot more room for error xD

That's my experience with it anyway with these in a mahogany bodied S series with nothing but a on-off-on miniswitch in the circuit. The sound I've been getting has become a lot sweeter since I switched to elixirs too so that seemed to have a large enough effect... Oh and I flipped the pup around which changed how the pole pieces line up but I did that as I changed to elixirs so I'm not sure if one was responsible for the difference in sound or both together.

[damigu]

Originally Posted by sevenstringj

Can you make some clips of the neck position? The only clips I've heard sounded weird--heavily processed and/or just twangy.

Can these things get a convincing strat/single coil sound? Or are they kinda like a HiFi Duncan Jazz?

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Etorture...sound_like.wma

the first part is the neck pickup with tone knob all the way down. 2 channels, spaced pretty close together. no processing done except raising the volume level. this is the lead/harmony of a short instrumental piece i wrote.
the second part is the neck pickup with tone all the way open. 2 channels widely spaced. again, no processing done except volume increase. part of a song my friend wrote about 10 years ago.

i haven't found them to be twangy or single-coily at all with how i have them set.
but i'm told that if you drop the two outer rows of pole pieces way down, it starts getting a single-coil like character.

Originally Posted by silentrage

These sound very intriguing!
Maybe a preamp can be added on the guitar to boost the bridge pup to amplify its output? Something like the EMG Afterburner maybe, just not... shitty.

i tried the boost+EQ stomp on my POD, and i tried an external compressor/booster as well. it mostly solved the gain issue but i was still never quite satisfied with the sound.

Originally Posted by Cheesebuiscut

I gotta agree with a lot of the stuff said in this thread. I never liked a single neck pup I ever used no matter what guitar I was playing until I got these Q-tuners. The neck pup should be the freaking standard neck pup in all guitars its just that good.

agreed. i'm not even interested in using any other neck pickup anymore. the next time i need another neck pickup, it'll be a q-tuner without hesitation.
(except on my 6 stringer that sounds perfect with the pickups in it)

Originally Posted by Cheesebuiscut

The bridge pup I find myself constantly tweaking my amp to be happy with the sound. After a while I found an acceptable sound that on some days I would hate and other days I thought was the most amazing sound coming out of my crappy line 6 amp.

my experience was similar. my solution was that i swapped it out for a BKP painkiller over this past weekend, and it was instantly better.

as much as i love the q-tuner in the neck position, i'm sorry to say that a q-tuner in the bridge position just isn't for me. not with today's amp/FX technology anyway (i think the q-tuner is ahead of the amp/FX technology).

[Cheesebuiscut]

I'm not too worried about switching the bridge pup for now especially since I'm too broke to

But in a future guitar I will probably try my first BKP in the bridge and definitely order another Q-tuner for the neck.

Another time though, I want to get some tubeage going before my next guitar.

[Stealthdjentstic]

Well writen, thanks for the insight